Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,052 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,451 per month in Ben Arous vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Ben Arous is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ben Arous and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ben Arous 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 TND 9.96

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-42.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.33 TND 65.1

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-33.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 TND 12.26

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-41.91%

Cappuccino

$0.71 TND 2.07

$1.63 COP 5,687

-56.44%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 TND 1.77

$1.09 COP 3,821

-44.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.76

$0.73 COP 2,548

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 TND 4.49

$1.74 COP 6,065

-11.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TND 5.60

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-40.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.05 COP 3,662

-53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.19 TND 0.56

$1.29 COP 4,515

-85.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 TND 4.73

$1.32 COP 4,617

22.73%

Eggs

$1.57 TND 4.58

$2.27 COP 7,927

-30.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 TND 33.03

$4.35 COP 15.2K

160.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 TND 17.97

$5.88 COP 20.5K

4.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 TND 42.84

$8.61 COP 30.0K

70.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 TND 6.14

$2.25 COP 7,844

-6.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 TND 8.85

$1.07 COP 3,733

184.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 TND 3.31

$1.52 COP 5,322

-25.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.06

$1.42 COP 4,964

-50.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.19

$1.17 COP 4,084

-35.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TND 2.25

$1.17 COP 4,077

-34.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.26

$0.89 COP 3,096

-51.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.86

$0.90 COP 3,146

-67.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 TND 10.59

$2.25 COP 7,837

61.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 TND 22.91

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 TND 3.19

$1.14 COP 3,977

-4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 TND 3.65

$2.38 COP 8,301

-47.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 TND 1.15

$0.84 COP 2,916

-53.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.72 TND 40.03

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-67.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$1.41 COP 4,912

-77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$1.90 COP 6,634

-83.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 TND 10.01

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-55.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.39

$1.01 COP 3,509

-18.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$40.5K TND 118.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

130.53%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.0K TND 102.0K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

31.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$49.32 TND 144

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-41.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.74 TND 28.42

$9.45 COP 33.0K

3.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.34 TND 62.3

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-11.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.82 TND 92.8

$25.31 COP 88.3K

25.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 TND 49.83

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-10.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TND 14.88

$4.10 COP 14.3K

24.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$109 TND 319

$312 COP 1.1M

-64.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,528 TND 7,377

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-57.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.77 TND 131

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-22.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.75 TND 128

$32.56 COP 113.6K

34.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 TND 282

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 TND 230

$109 COP 378.8K

-27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$188 TND 549

$482 COP 1.7M

-60.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 TND 403

$379 COP 1.3M

-63.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 TND 1,068

$837 COP 2.9M

-56.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 TND 790

$723 COP 2.5M

-62.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$953 TND 2,781

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-66.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$431 TND 1,257

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-64.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 TND 737

$541 COP 1.9M

-53.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

13.43

-18.39%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ben Arous: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $188 in Ben Arous versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 114% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Ben Arous versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Ben Arous vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ben Arous vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $652 in Ben Arous, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 56% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $978 per month in Ben Arous and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ben Arous, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Ben Arous and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $652 in Ben Arous and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ben Arous, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Ben Arous it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $652 in Ben Arous to $1,017 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ben Arous. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.